CHAPTER 23 FREEZES THE BLOOD
The Covered Eye sees through the veil.
I wonder what Nani would say to us if we went back. Do you think she would be angry?
Maybe it was better this way. Clearly you weren''t meant to be part of their mission.
That was my mission too. To protect the weak, those who couldn''t fight for themselves and I...
How can I fight for those when I hesitate?
It''s okay, you''re not alone.
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“ever sleep.” She said, not dropping the volume on her voice. “Rocks, bugs, and the quiet! It''s a strange thign to say, I''ve never heard anything like this quiet.”
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“week?” She said, feigning astonishment. “I don''t know if I could dot hat. I don''t even know if I can get through tonight.”
“everywhere.”
“things. Things crawling, or barking, or buzzing. Some things sound and feel big. You said there were monsters here, what are they?”
“big meat-eater hunting them. Huge paws, breath sounded like a Shift-Mobile crashing. There was a group of these enormous monsters that trumpeted to each-other.”
“Trumpeted? Like with instruments?”
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“crawling on my arm earlier. It had so many legs.”
“really big ones, under the mountains. Spiders, with little men riding on them.”
“Ha ha.” Naika said sardonically. “I suppose you''re gonna tell me there are giraffes with little faeries out here too.”
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“free out here. Sure, people are just as horrible and stupid as they are in the city, but no-one''s telling me where to go, what to do. I can just walk by myself, explore places people have probably never been to before.”
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Your true self is a killer, Kad. Are you going to tell her that?
“on. I don''t really think about it.”
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“fight for us, so we can have a better life than he did.”
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“you.”
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“know you said you didn''t do it, but what happened? Why did you want to kill him so bad? Did you think it would change anything?”
Does it matter?
“just me.” Kad spat defensively. “There was a group of us, all different races. We wanted to bring down the IRC systematically, teach people not to stand for those things. Cassius was the first target, then there was to be four more, but it went wrong from the start. When I finally got there, I...I looked him in the eyes, dead to rights, but I couldn''t do anything. I could feel his fear, the shifting of his urine threatening to spill out, I smelled the cowardice on his breath. I wanted to teach him a lesson, to show him fear, and in that moment, I felt like I did. He finally saw the world as a Consumer does.”
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Clack.
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She smells so good.
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“community is the best course for change.”
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“going to Gentle Stream.”
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It sounds like singing.
More than ten, less than twenty. Over a mile away, I would say.
“beautiful.” Bimi said.
“Shhhh.”
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Somehow I would doubt that, eh Kad?
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Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
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“what it is.” Kad said angrily.
“still going?” Naika murmured grumpily, rubbing at her exposed mouth.
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“distractions, anyway.”
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“through the mountains tonight, Bimi.” Kad said.
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What do these tourists know? You weren''t even that na?ve when you came to these shores.
“like how they are in Peridios. We have no idea what is out here. If I''m going to be your guide, you''re going to have to listen to me.” He pleaded.
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“monsters out her pushta, but people are my speciality.”
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Clack.
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Let them go, if they want to see what the real world is like so badly, where''s the harm in a little exposure therapy?
Well, even if it goes wrong, it should be entertaining.
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“is those stupid missionaries.”
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There''s sixteen of them. They might be missionaries, but we''re not gonna win a fit of one on sixteen.
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No, this is bad. We have to think, assess the situation.
I hope you''re ready Kad, if this goes south, you''re going to have to abandon your brethren.
That''s not going to happen, we ust have to figure out what''s going on here.
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“illegal! What should we do?”
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Half of these people are armed.
They don''t smell like the others. They are dirtier, one is a young girl, no older than twelve. From their scents and shimmers, I''d say they are a family, the mother is a High-Eve, and the father is a Silver-Dvergr, the son and daughter are their mixed children. They''re struggling...
We''ve got to stop them, before-
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Release me Kad, release me!
Kad? Kad?!
They''re bound...what happened?
The river...there''s people around us...
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“Kad? Can you hear me?” She said again.
Who is that?
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“gifts.”
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Out of everyone we''ve been captured by so far, these guys are the worst.
“move!” He roared.
We told them this would happen, why doesn''t anyone listen to us?
What we wouldn''t give for one of those cats to find us now.
When we get free, he''s the first one to go.
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“there!”
“Poppo!” Naika called out.
“Move it!”
“found us!” He called out with a deep below.
“Raca, it is good to see you brother!” She called out into his cloth.
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“ceremony.”
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“eat us.” The Sloukian whined.
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“plenty of time to find out.”
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What is this ceremony, why do they need captives?
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“want from us?” She said quietly, trying to look back at him.
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What are we doing here?
“This is the place, Brother?” Ular asked, unimpressed.
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“find this place?” The Sloukian follower asked.
“something behind it.”
“very pleased with what we''ve done with the place.”
“that?” Ular asked, a little shaky.
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So cold...so cold...
“nicely.”
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“long time for this.”
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“this how you would worship Voss Nova?”
“with the church. We are against it.”
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There''s something in there! Something...beyond malevolence!
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